Questions For Hollyoaks Trailer

What have you learnt about Camera Angles & Shot Types?
I have learnt that instead of zooming in to the shot, move the camera closer to what you are filming so that the camera has much better focus.

How did your choice of music reinforce the narrative of the trailer?
The song 'Jasmine Villegas - Didn't Mean It' used in the Hollyoaks trailer reflected the what the storyline was about; the lyrics were exactly how Mercedes felt at that time. The song also built up to a climax just like the storyline itself, which created tension towards the audience.

What have you learnt about editing to make it clear to the Audience about what is happening?
I have learnt that the scenes need to be in order so that it is not confusing to the audience. Also, I have learnt that it all needs to built up to a cliffhanger which encourages the audience to watch it.

What will you do differently next time?
Next time, it would be best to do plenty of takes from the same scene which enables me to create a much smoother flow of scenes. Also, when filming next time, it would be a good idea to avoid areas with too much background noise as with this trailer even the software could not get rid of it very well, which made the speech very muffled.

Hollyoaks Trailer

Hollyoaks Trailer - Script

This was the Script our group used to create our version of a storyline in Hollyoaks. This would help us with creating our own Soap Opera by using the rule of thirds and how lighting and camera angles work.

 

 

Soap Opera Questions

Where & When Did Soap Opera's Originate?
- In 1947, the first TV soap opera appeared which was called 'A Woman To Remember'.

Who Are They Traditionally Aimed At?
- Soap operas were traditionally aimed at housewifes, women who were cleaning their house at the time of viewing.

Why Were They Nicknamed 'Soaps'?
- They are called 'Soap Operas' because originally the shows were sponsored by soap and detergent companies like Proctor and Gamble, Colgate-palmolive, and Lever brothers. As housewives were the main audience, soap manufacturers were the main sponsors. The shows would be interspersed with commercials for laundry detergent, dishwashing soap etc.

What Is The Longest Running British Soap & When Did It Start?
- The first and longest running British soap is 'Coronation Street', which was aired for the first time in 1960.

Hollyoaks Trailer Analysis

- Opens with a title card 'Hollyoaks'
- 'Hollyoaks' is sponsored by Nikon. They draw you in as part of an audience. They go by the idea that 'You live your life through your phone and upload and share onto Twitter, Facebook & Instagram'.
- Montage of Mercedes and her sister Jacqui.
- *Next Shot* Mercedes and boyfriend Paul, in a close up shot showing their relationship. Paul dominates the frame using up about 70% of the shot, showing he is dominate in the relationship.
- Whereas Mercedes only takes up about 1/3 of the frame. Mercedes is out of focus, her hair is hiding her face from Paul, which is displaying negative body language and her eyes are not meeting his, which represents her vulnerablility in this shot.
- The setting is at Mercedes; because of the picture frame, possibly in a lounge due to the angle of the light hitting Paul's face, which means this is happening during the day. His face is in focus, his eyes are trained on hers and his body is also turned towards hers.
- *Next Shot* Changed location and the time but following on shots with the same character. Mercedes and Jacqui are in the kitchen, Jacqui is in the background looking over at Mercedes.The setting is in a house or a flat; the lights on indicates it's the evening/night.
- The yellow light might symbolises Mercedes feeling safe.
- *Flashback* Paul is in a different location, out of his narrative bubble, watching Mercedes and Riley. The non-diegetic soundtrack in the background sounds like a heartbeat, this is to make the audience feel tense.
- There is a quick succession of shots; the scene bridges from the bar/cafe that Rhys and Jacqui are in to an office; due to the mise en scene of; office furniture, blinds, plant in the corner, filling cabinets, an intray on a coffee table. We know that Mercedes is not at home but at Paul's work.
- The shots are connecting together to show the audience what happened.
- Then there is a close up, reaction shot of Jacqui.
- Point Of View of Mercedes, over the shoulder shot of a phone, which shows 5 missed calls from Jacqui, indicating that it is about Paul.
- *Next Shot* Paul is once again dominating the shot, above her in the shot; he is intensely starring at her and because you can't see much of Mercedes face, she appears vulnerable.
- *Next Shot* Jacqui is in a hospital on the phone, the mise en scene shows someone dressed in a Nurse's uniform, leaving Paul's place of work.
- *Next Shot* Jacqui outside Mercedes flat, expecting to see her and Paul in there. Running there before something bag happens.
- The trailer ends on a cliffhanger, which makes the audience want to watch it to see what happens next.
- This trailer focuses on one storyline, even though other things are going on at the same time, this story dominates them all.